The present invention pertains to an end closure for a container and more particularly, to an end closure for a container containing grated cheese, bread crumbs or like food product for maintaining the container in a sealed condition after packaging and for opening a pour opening in the end closure upon first actuation of a first end closure part with respect to a second end closure part to permit the contents to be dispensed as needed. The end closure incorporates a temper evident element to indicate to the user whether or not the sealed condition has been breached.
Containers for food products, such as bread crumbs, grated cheese, and spices, usually include an end closure for closing the container. The end closure may include an end cap of metal or plastic affixed to the container body which may be made of paper. The bottom may be closed by a metal or plastic member secured to the container body. Usually, the end cap has one or more pour openings therein. A cover is rotatably mounted on the end cap through an opening in the end cap for selectively opening and closing a pour opening. The pour opening is often defined by a tab formed flush in the end cap and connected to the end cap by wall portions of reduced thickness. Often the end cap has perforations therein for outlining the pour opening, in addition to the opening for journalling the cover. Therefore, the container is not hermetically closed, and there is often degradation or deterioration of the food product from the time it is packed until it is sold. Shelf life is shortened or there may actually be spoilage. The end closures described above are shown generally in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,912,128 and 4,274,563.
To open the end cap, a tool or finger is inserted against the tab to break the wall portions and the tab is pushed into the container. If a finger is used, a nail of the user may be broken. In some cases, where the end cap has been made from polystyrene, particles of plastic have broken off and mixed with the contents, thereby contaminating the food with undesirable and perhaps harmful non-food matter. The tab in the container may interfere with pouring of the contents from the container. Hence, it has been suggested to provide means to prevent the tab removed from the end cap from falling into the container. As shown in Ziemann et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,912,128, such means may comprise fulcrum pins securing the tab to the end cover after the reduced thickness wall has been severed. In a similar manner, Otterson U.S. Pat. No. 4,274,563 provides hinge pins to secure the tab to the end cover so that it can remain hinged and not drop into the contents of the container.
Our prior application Ser. No. 683,068 improved upon such prior end closures by providing a novel end closure wherein a raised portion or tab defining the pour opening will be automatically cut and urged outwardly from the end closure upon rotation or movement of a first end closure part relative to a second end closure part. The present invention provides a tell tale or tamper evident element which will be ruptured upon initial movement of the first end closure part with respect to second end closure part in a direction to cut the raised portion.
An object of the present invention is to provide an end closure with a temper evident element wherein disadvantages and deficiencies of prior constructions are obviated.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved end closure having a cover and an end cap movable with respect to one another for automatically severing a tab from the end cap to form a pour opening, said tab being urged outwardly and severed from the end cap without dropping into the contents of the container, and a tamper evident element which will be broken upon initial movement of the cover with respect to the end cap in a direction to cut the tab.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be made more apparent hereinafter.